| Bukowski Chapel Reservation Procedure |
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| Congratulations on your engagement to be married! |
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| Weddings may take place at Aquinas College in the Bukowski Chapel if you are: |
- A current student,
- A graduate of Aquinas,
- Board of Trustee Member,
- Faculty,
- Staff, or
- An immediate family member (child, sibling, or parent) of any of those listed above
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| Catholic Weddings |
| Catholic parties must abide by the marriage policy of the Grand Rapids Diocese; there is a 6-9 month preparation period. If neither party is a member of a parish, it is important to find one that is willing to accommodate the preparation process with you and your fiancé. Couples must contact their own pastor or deacon to preside at their wedding. Earlier is better than later. Couples must make arrangements to participate in a diocesan approved marriage preparation process. If the couple is unable to meet the conditions of the requirements for marriage preparation and documentation two weeks prior to the wedding, Aquinas College is not bound to the rental contract. Catholic Weddings may take place only in the Bukowski Chapel. |
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| Non-Catholic Weddings |
| If neither of the parties to be married are baptized Catholic, they may use the Bukowski Chapel for a non-Catholic wedding. If neither party is a baptized Catholic, the couple is not bound to the Catholic preparation requirements for marriage. Non-Catholic parties are expected, however, to respect the sacred space and the arrangement of the chapel. Non-Catholic weddings (in which neither party is a baptized Catholic) may also take place in other buildings such as Kretchmer Auditorium, the Performing Arts Center, and the Field House. |
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| No Weddings May Take Place Out of Doors on Campus. |
| However, you may want to contact the City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department to schedule an outdoor wedding at Wilcox Park because of its close proximity to campus. |
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| Chapel Coordinator and Conferencing Services |
| The prospective bride or groom is required to contact the Chapel Coordinator before a chapel reservation can be made with the Conferencing Coordinator. After talking with one party of the engaged couple, and after assessing that the requirements of the marriage policy will be met, the Chapel Coordinator contacts the Conferencing Department with a request to tentatively reserve the chapel space for an available date of the party’s preference. The Conferencing Department makes contact with the party in order to mail the contract and to remain in correspondence as needed. Once the engaged party makes a full deposit of the rental fee, the tentative reservation is confirmed. |
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| Relationship of Aquinas College to St. Thomas Parish |
| In Church juridical matters, Aquinas College is an extension of St. Thomas Parish. The Sacrament of Matrimony is a juridical matter. All canon law, provincial and diocesan statutes, and parish policies and guidelines apply to Aquinas College as well. |
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| Common Factors Affecting College Related Requests for a Catholic Wedding |
- At least one party is to be a practicing Catholic
- Aquinas College is not a parish; one of the parties involved is to be a member of a Catholic parish or in the process of becoming one.
- If either party has been previously married, whether Catholic or not, earliest possible contact with the priest of the Catholic party is necessary.
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| Delegation of a Priest or a Deacon for a Catholic Wedding in Bukowski Chapel |
| When Aquinas College grants permission for a wedding on campus, it should be clear that neither Aquinas College nor St. Thomas Parish provides a presider for the marriage. When speaking with a priest about getting ready for a marriage, the couple should inquire whether he is willing to preside at Aquinas College for the wedding. The priest of St. Thomas Parish will delegate your presider to officiate at the wedding. |
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| The pastor of St. Thomas Parish can delegate a priest other than the canonical pastor of either or both parties to preside at the nuptial ceremony. In such cases, however, St. Thomas Parish will do so only with written permission from the canonical pastor of the bride or groom. St. Thomas Parish will also require that all proper preparations are made and that the Diocesan Pre-Marriage file is accurately kept during the preparation and submitted to St. Thomas Parish to be filed after the ceremony. |
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| Physical Arrangements |
- The Bukowski Chapel has a seating capacity of 120 on the main floor.
- There is extra space in the balcony area but this provides only limited viewing of the ceremony.
- An organ and piano are available for use by your accompanist. Arrangements can be made for your accompanist to practice beforehand by contacting the Chapel Coordinator at (616) 632-2492 or marshthe@aquinas.edu.
- There is no additional sound system because it is not necessary in such a small space.
- There is no space conducive for the bride to change into her wedding garments.
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| Rental Fee |
- The fee for the use of the Chapel is $400, payable with the signed contract. There is no alumni discount.
- The Chapel Coordinator can be available to the wedding party on the day of the rehearsal for a fee of $40.
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| Chapel Availability for Weddings |
Availability for weddings is determined by contacting the Conferencing Services
office at (616) 632-2803 or confer@aquinas.edu. All rehearsals are to take place the evening before the wedding date. |
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| If more than one ceremony or event is scheduled for the day of the ceremony, specific time restrictions may be necessary: generally three hours before and one hour after the ceremony will be included in the rental. All floral deliveries must be made within the rental period. |
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| Officiate, Musician and Miscellaneous Information |
It is the responsibility of the couple to provide their own officiating clergy, accompanist, vocalists, unity candle or holder.
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| No food, drinks, or smoking are allowed in the Chapel |
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| Steps to Reserving Space ( Preferably One Year in Advance): |
- Contact Chapel Coordinator at (616) 632-2492 or marshthe@aquinas.edu. After talking with one party of the engaged couple, and after assessing that the requirements of the marriage policy will be met, the Chapel Coordinator contacts the Conferencing Department with a request to tentatively reserve the chapel space for an available date of the party’s preference.
- Contact Conferencing Services at (616) 632-2803 or confer@aquinas.edu. The Conferencing Department makes contact with the party in order to mail the contract and to remain in correspondence as needed. Once the engaged party makes a deposit of $400 the tentative reservation is confirmed.
- Contact your clergy
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| Catholic Wedding Time-Line Requirements |
- Six to nine months in advance: Begin an approved marriage preparation process.
- One month in advance: Submit the Pre-Marriage File to the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle at 1449 Wilcox Park Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506. You can e-mail Joyce Moore at jmoore@stthomasgr.org or call at (616) 459-4662
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